Countdown to Christmas: 10 more days! If you still need to find a few gifts, there’s still time to order Amazon prime and have your gifts delivered in time to wrap and give! Here are my top pretty, affordable gifts for the women in your life.
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Hi and happy Friday! Today I’m sharing photos of the Christmas fireplace decor in my home for the 2020 holiday season! I love this fireplace and thoroughly enjoy adorning it for each new season. The fireplace itself has an interesting history. Many years ago on a family beach vacation, my husband and I spotted this mantle sitting on the front porch of an antique shop. We thought it would be perfect in our mission craftsman style 1920 home, so we brought it all the way home across four states on our minivan roof rack. We installed it in our home along with a handpainted tile surround in my favorite, cobalt blue and white.
For Christmas this year, I created a frosty forest feel in my living room Christmas decorations combining decorations I already have, some quick DIY projects, and a few online shopping items. Here are a few ideas if you would like to create a woodsy, Nordic Christmas interior this year.
The first item I placed across the entire mantle shelf was a green garland with gold glitter and berries. I like to have a base of greenery, and I wanted to have sparkle on the entirety of the mantle shelf.
I absolutely love fairy lights on copper wire. Since we discovered these lights a couple of years ago (a bargain on Amazon) we use them everywhere. I love the tiny lights and the wire is also so pretty and looks nice with other decorative elements.
The centerpiece of my mantle is a large carved initial that I found at Home Goods. The other major elements on the mantle are Christmas tree candles. The two green trees are vintage from the 1960s and were still in boxes when I found them at an estate sale! I like them combined with the sleek contemporary trees in metallic tones.
I added some snowball ornaments, sparkly snowflakes, and some wintery greens and pine picks in between.
A felt reindeer garland is suspended across the entire mantle (see post for DIY).
The lit branches on the left side of the hearth are a DIY project, a tree branch planted in concrete in a pot, sprayed with faux snow and lit with fairy lights. A sparkling bird’s nest and faux ice wreaths adorn the branches.
Across the bottom of the hearth, I placed real birch log votive holders in various sizes, from 18 inches tall to around 4 inches. These were a DIY project (more to come on this project).
Isn’t there something so fun and festive about a little bit of jingle in Christmas decor? I’ve been seeing a ton of fabulous felt Christmas ornaments this year on pinterest and in online shops, so I wanted to try making a few myself! I plan to make and post some other DIY felt projects over the holidays, so I hope you’ll plan to stop back!
This fun reindeer garland banner was so easy! The hardest part was cutting out the tiny antlers on each deer. I don’t think any two are exactly identical, but I think they’re close enough. I really like the combination of the rusty jingle bells and the silky tassels on this garland. After completing it, I am displaying the garland across my firplace mantle this year with some other woodsy decor, and I’m really happy with it. The project was fun, and I have ample supplies left to make more banners with the felt, cord, and bells I bought.
Okay, if you want to give this little project a try, here’s how!
Supplies:
(The supply list contains affiliate links. These are the materials I used, and they worked well for this project.)
Thin braided rope or other thin twine of your choice, at least 10 feet long
STEP 2: Pin the reindeer pattern to a piece of felt, making sure to stay on one corner to minimize waste. Using the felt pack I bought from Amazon, I was able to cut two deer from each one piece of felt.
STEP 3: Cut out six deer (or more if you want a longer garland) from your color choice of felt. I used two shades of brown and a camel color. Small sharp scissors work well to cut out the small details.
STEP 4: Lay out the twine on a long table or counter. You will need a longer piece of string than what you hope to have for the finished project. Tying each bell in will take some of the length. You will also want 12 inches or more on each end so the banner can easily be attached wherever you choose.
STEP 5: Beginning at one end, measure off 18 inches and tie on one jingle bell at that spot. Make a mark (using a subtle color marker) 8 inches from the first jingle bell. Tie the second in that spot. Repeat the same process every eight inches until you have enough bells attached for the number of deer you plan to use. For my 6 deer, I needed seven bells each 8 inches apart.
STEP 6: Lay out some newspaper or something glue safe and put the left-most section (between the first two bells) on it. Heat up your glue gun. Measure four inches between the two bells. Put some glue on one side of the section of string where the deer will attach, about 3.5 inches. Place the deer on the glue. Pick up the section of string and deer to let it dry so that it doesn’t accidentally get stuck to the paper. Continue until all deer are securely attached. Check the back side of the deer to make sure all of them are glued on along their full length.
STEP 7: Choose the tassels you want to use on your garland. From the package I bought, I chose gray, ivory, and brown because I wanted my garland to have a woodsy look. Cut the loops down so they they are at a good length to glue, about half an inch. Glue the tassels on the back with the hot glue gun. The tassels will keep the deer hanging in the right direction.
That’s it! Super easy and original Christmas decor for your home!
Have a beautiful day and try something creative! 🙂
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And creating a welcoming, cozy Christmas home-for-the-holidays vibe is one of the most fun jobs of the year, and it all starts with the front door! This year, I went with the classic Christmas greens and created a nostalgic vintage feel for our little front porch.
The big six foot swag sets the tone for this year’s decor, and it was a fun DIY project made from Christmas tree trimmings and other greens from the yard. I also completed some other super simple DIY projects for the porch which I will get to a little later.
Step 1: Decide how long you want your topper to be and measure that out on the floor. I worked on the garage floor on a tarp for my project to make cleanup a little easier.
Step 2: Cut some pine boughs to some workable sizes. I used some branches from the bottom of our Christmas tree, but any evergreens are perfect. I also trimmed some branches from some other bushes in our yard, such as holly, boxwood, and other pines to add some variety. I added white glittered branches at the center as well.
Step 3: Starting at one end and working toward the center, lay out your branches so that they overlap and the swag looks full, without any bare sticks. Put smaller pieces over top to hide any thin areas.
Step 4: Starting at the opposite end and working toward the middle, repeat the previous step working in the opposite direction. At the center, place a glittered branch on each side, and make the swag look symmetrical.
Step 5: Carefully wire all of the branches together. Each bough must be tightly connected to the next, or the swag won’t be stable. Mine had a few loose spots and had to be fixed before it could be lifted above the door in one piece.
securely wire the branches together
attach shatterproof ornaments
Step 6: Make a large bow out of wired ribbon. Securely attach the bow to the center (where the branches meet) with wire.
Step 7: Add shatterproof Christmas ornaments. You could add smaller ornaments, vary sizes, or add more than I did depending on your preferences and your own creativity. I attached the ornaments with wire bag ties.
Step 8: Twist some wire to make a solid hanger for your topper at the center and each end. We put cuphooks in our doorframe to enable us to easily attach the swag from the hangers.
You’re done!
Here’s the front door at night. We put an outdoor spotlight on the door so the decor is lit up at night!
I also created some simple rustic vintage style decor for my porch this year.
Here are some fun ideas for a rustic vintage Christmas porch!
Galvanized bucket arrangements. I placed floral foam in the bottom along with some fresh greens and artificial berries. The great thing about the stick on chalkboards is you can write whatever you want for the day. My messages are “peace on earth” and goodwill toward men.”
2. Use logs as decor
We had some pretty birch logs from part of a tree that had to come down this summer, so I used those to create varying heights on the porch and also in other arrangements.
3. Repurpose garden shed finds
I used a large galvanized bucket to display some decor, and a big wooden crate to hold birch logs and greens.
4. Keep some of the fall ornamentals.
I had some flowering kale that’s still looking really nice, so I combined that with pine, holly, and Christmas ornaments in arrangements. It’s definitely unique and suits the rustic look! I also used dried red ornamental peppers as decorative sprigs in some of the arrangements.
5. Make votive holders from birch logs. The full post is coming up later this week, but this is another easy DIY project.
The beautiful wreath is Valerie Madelyn from Amazon.
Have a beautiful week, and have fun decorating for the holidays! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the official shopping season, 2020 version! What’s better than giving everyone on your shopping list beautiful and thoughtful gifts? How about gifts that give back by helping individuals around the world earn a living producing products such as jewelry, housewares, accessories, and even toys? Your shopping budget can be a reason for someone else to give thanks!
Unbeknowst to most shoppers, many of the products we buy every day support forced labor. In contrast, products labeled “fair trade” support an honest wage for honest work. As I was researching including fair trade items on my shopping list this year, I realized there is an amazing variety of affordable products available now as consumers become more in tune with this issue. Some companies enable women to do skilled labor such as handcrafting to support their families. Others use funding to help support impoverished communities. Take a look at these amazing and unique gift ideas from around the world!
HANDMADE: We keep alive a beautiful tradition of handwoven belly baskets, passed down from generations of Artisans in Ghana. Made of 100% sustainable natural organic elephant grass with goat leather handle. Supports impoverished farmers in the Bogatanga region of Ghana, West Africa
ABSORBENT, QUICK DRY, LIGHTWEIGHT – Large 39 inch x 71 inch throw is perfect to dry off with after a shower or a swim. All of our premium towels are made from the finest eco-friendly organic turkish cotton, grown near the Aegean Sea in Turkey.
COZY & COMPASSIONATE: Made in Himalayan villages by local housewives, this generations-old handicraft allows mothers to stay home with their children and earn supplemental income.
Isn’t there something magical about a Christmas interior full of sparkle: glittery snowflakes, glistening tinsel, and shimmering candles and crystal? Quite an elegant take on the holidays, this look transports us to a winter wonderland full of peace and tranquility.
For my own home, I always have a bit of icy monochromatic winter decor in at least part of the house. I really love it. If you are planning a winter wonderland, here are 10 ideas to try.
Add some flocked greenery garlands or trees, or lightly spray some with faux snow for a frosty look.
Use textures in a monochromatic color scheme of white, cream, and light taupe.
Add shiny glass in the form of crystal icicles, mercury glass ornaments, votives, and dishes, and leaded, beveled glass.
Glittered ornaments like snowflakes and even branches add to the magical feel.
For textiles, look for beading and subtle sequins to reflect light and add to the holiday glow.
Bring some white birch twigs or logs indoors for a woodsy effect.
Along with whites, mix in some metallics for contrast and even more shine.
Switch out your usual throw blankets for some in soft, snowy white.
Crystals from an old chandelier make terrific ornaments hung from birch branches or on the Christmas tree.
Create a soft glittering glow in the room by turning down your main lights and adding in flickering candles and whitewashed or weathered lanterns.
I haven’t started decorating yet. I really need to get started this week! And I will be looking forward to creating my own little winter wonderland!
Here are 27 amazing finds all available from Amazon, delivered straight to you!
Add some cozy Nordic charm to your Christmas this year! If you love this traditional look, there are definitely some can’t miss elements. Old World ornaments and Father Christmas are at the top of the wish list, along with traditional red and white textiles. Natural and white-washed wood lightens up the look. Add a wooden Christmas village and other carved and wooden ornaments such as dala horses and snowflakes. DIY projects including simple pine and twig wreaths and homemade gingerbread houses complement your magical farmhouse look.
Check out these beautiful Christmas decor ideas from Amazon.
Connecting with loved ones is the most important part of the holidays. Unfortunately, the global pandemic shows no signs of slowing before the Christmas season. The reality is setting in that many of us will not be spending the holidays with extended family. Certainly a lot of older relatives may be in situations where visitors may not be possible. And kids may very well be at home most of the time with a desperate need for meaningful, engaging activities.
I’m looking for ways to safely make the season special. Admittedly, it’s been rough. We won’t be getting together with extended family for Thanksgiving, although we are still seeing each other on the occasional warm day when we can get together outside. Like everyone else, we have also been connecting by video call.
This year, I’m also going to need to get creative with gift-giving. I plan to order a lot of my gifts on Amazon and have them delivered to loved ones I won’t be seeing. I’m also looking for gifts that will make the winter at home more comfortable.Some great ideas for pandemic gift giving are family games, activities, crafts, home entertainment, and special, personalized items.
Here are my top Amazon picks for pandemic gift-giving:
Family Games
Board games are a great way to spend time together as a family. Setting aside one evening a week as game night can help add structure and fun to time at home.
For people on your list who have to spend more time inside the four walls of home, help them make their home a haven by giving gifts that promote health, relaxation, and stress-relief.
For people on your list who you will not be able to see, remind them that you’re thinking about them over the Christmas season with thoughtful and creative gifts.
Hello and happy Friday! I’ve been busy with a little DIY project, and I have to say, I’m happy with how this one turned out! I love the subtle look of this modern farmhouse style Christmas decor. These little decorations would also look fabulous with a Coastal Christmas theme.
We eat A LOT of pistachios around here, so I asked my husband to start saving the shells for me a while ago. With a small bag full of shells, I had more than enough to make this project. I made the tree base out of paper and the wreath bases out of cardboard and container lids destined for the recycling bin. So this fun upcycled project cost me next to nothing.
I achieved the shaded look of the tree by painting the shells with several shades of chalk paint. The wreaths are a single color on each, and I added some grosgrain ribbon and rustic jute to give them a finished look. The wreaths could be hung from a mirror, on your Christmas tree, or even used as votive holders!
For the tree, make a cone out of the paper by forming a tight cone and taping along the edge. Then cut off the uneven bottom so that the cone stands straight.
Divide your shells into several groups for the colors you would like to use. For the tree, I left some natural (which are the ones that almost look like a light peach shade) and painted some in light celery green and some in light gray. I also painted some white for one of the wreaths. You could also do your tree in all one color, or make a group of trees that are one color each. It all depends on you and your creativity!
Once the shells are dry, attach them to the tree using a hot glue gun, alternating colors for a shaded effect. When you place the next row above, make sure to slightly overlap the previous row so that the paper cone will not be showing. I found it was helpful to keep the little shell pieces for spots where I didn’t have quite enough space for a full shell. Continue this process until the whole tree is covered. I added a single shell with a little gold paint at the top.
For the wreath, I used the lid from a breadcrumbs container and also traced this onto cardboard for the rest of the wreaths. I used a small drinking glass to trace the center circle. Cut out the wreaths and the centers for the size you want. This same method could be used for a much larger pistachio shell wreath as well.
Using the hot glue gun, glue the shells in a slightly overlapping fashion, starting with the innermost row. Continue until the circle is covered. Add jute for hanging and the ribbon trim of your choice.
When your project is finished, pull off all the little glue strings. This project took me about three hours to complete, including painting the shells.
I read this week that getting into a state of “flow” where you can accomplish something productive that is fairly easy is a great way to cope with stress. I think we all could use that right now! So it’s more crafting from now until Christmas! 🙂
Have a beautiful day and try something creative! 🙂
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and decorating is one of the most wonderful parts of the season! This year, I’m really loving the vibrant Christmas decor trend. Color can really add some holiday personality to a normally neutral space, and this look combines well with DIY projects and bohemian interiors as well.
I’ve been checking out the great selection of bright Christmas decor online, and here are a few of my favorite finds for this year.
Blue Willow Lane 